Digital Numbers
by Kasumi Hoshi Nishida
Summary: Oneshot. A small Numb3rs and Digimon fic that I thought of. Takato goes to CalSci but our favourite math professor is hiding one big secret. Please don't expect it to be very good. R and R is always appreciated.


**Digital Numbers**

Takato sighed as he looked around the campus. Sure CalSci was one of the best colleges he could hope to get into but it was just so damn big. Not only was it going to take forever to find his first class but who knew how long it would take him to be able to not get lost.

"Hey need a hand. You look lost," a voice said from behind him.

Takato turned around to see a man about 60 or 70 standing there with a stack of books under his arm. The man was tall, with graying hair but he looked completely at ease in the college setting. The man stuck out his hand for Takato to shake. "Alan Epps," he said.

"Matsuki Takato, or just Takato," he said as he shook the other man's hand. "Pleased to meet you."

"So you're Japanese? Are you going to school here? No offense but you look kind of young."

"Ah well…" The truth was that Takato was also surprised to be here. Yet after the D-Reaper he had applied himself more to school and as such his grades improved dramatically, so much so that he had graduated high school early and his parents had send him to California to attend CalSci. Ruki had been the most surprised out of all of the tamers to find out that 'Gogglehead' was actually smarter than she was, not that she'd _ever_ admit it. "I actually am going to school here but I'm 16. Right now I'm headed to Professor Charles Eppes' class."

"Charlie? But I thought his class started at least two hours ago? It should already be finished by now."

"It did!? Ah crap, on my first day too." Takato muttered under his breath. _Great this is going to be like high school all over again. _

"Don't worry, Charlie knows how complicated it is to get around the campus to first-timers. Let me show you to his classroom."

"Oh thanks. I sure hope he's more forgiving than Asaji-sensei," the last part Takato said quietly to himself.

Somehow Alan managed to catch it and replied, "I wouldn't get too anxious about that."

Alan let him across the grounds to one of the very non-distinctive that was in the corner of the campus.

"This campus is just like one big damn maze," Takato announced.

"Don't I know it," Alan responded. "On Halloween they drop pumpkins, frozen by nitrogen I might add, from the highest point on the campus. Larry and I had a blast doing that."

As they talked Alan lead Takato through twisting corridors until they reached a door marked 'Charles Eppes' above it. Alan reached down and grabbed the knob. Slowly twisting it, he opened the door.

"Charlie I have a lost student of yours here." Alan announced

When the door was all the way open Takato finally got a look at his new professor. Charlie Eppes could be classified as one girls would fawn over. He had great chestnut eyes and a face framed by curly brown locks. He looked to be in his early 30s, around 30 or 31. Currently he was working on a black board, a piece of chalk positioned firmly in his hand. His attention though was diverted from the rather large equation on the board when Alan and Takato walked in.

"You must be Takato Matsuki. Yes I was wondering where you were. Class registry said you were starting today," Charlie said with a curious glance towards Takato.

"Ah well…you see…hehe, I kind of got a little lost." Takato responded awkwardly. "I got my schedule with little trouble but then I spent hours trying to locate where I was until Alan-san found me and helped me find your office."

"Say no more, I got it," Charlie replied with a grin. "I always thought those maps were useless. Well I'm Charles Eppes, mathematics professor at California Institute of Science. It's very nice to meet you." He stuck out his hand. Takato gingerly took it, relived that his professor was so understanding.

"So what are you working on Charlie?" Alan questioned his youngest son.

"Well it's an equation for Don on a new robbery that I think connects to…" As Charlie blithered on and on incessantly (**A/N: As does my language arts teacher, he even admitted it**) Takato leisurely wandered around the room, glancing at all the jumbled mess. Shelves, filled to the brim with text books and other huge, fat volumes filled with what mind bending analyses and equations Takato could not fathom, decorated the wall and a large green chalk board was filled with numbers on which Charlie had gone back to, trying to explain something to Alan. A desk sat in the far corner with where the true enemy of all humans sat: paperwork. Other small things littered the desk as well like pencils, a black lamp, and picture frames. Wait, that last one…

A small picture in a plain black frame had found Takato's eye. Slowly he lent in and his breath caught in his throat. It was a picture of a teenaged Charlie surrounded by what looked like about six college students. The thing that really surprised him was that he recognized all of them. They were the Monster Makers, the creators of digimon.

"Sugoi, I wonder if Henry's seen this picture." Takato muttered to himself.

"Hey Takato what'cha got over there." Alan called over to him.

"Oh um, well, it's just this picture," Takato found himself silently motioning to it. He was embarrassed that he had been caught looking at it but no backing out. "Well it's just that these are all the Monster Makers, a group they made college including my friend Henry's father, Wong Janyu."

Alan looked startled that Takato knew where it was from, probably because he himself didn't know. Charlie on the other hand had a nostalgic look on his face, gazed, without really seeing, at the photo. He smiled, seeming to catch himself, and turned back to Takato.

"Yes I did do an exchange program in Japan. Shibumi, Rai, Babel, and all the rest, we were all friends. We all had a study group and some of us were in the same classes."

Takato couldn't read the emotions flashing across Charlie's face. It seemed to flash from happiness, to longing, to pain, and then nothing at all in just a few seconds. Whatever Charlie and the Monster Makers went through and whatever happened it held a lot of memories, not all of them good ones.

* * *

College life was finally starting to warm up to Takato. All of his classes were interesting and he liked all of his professors. Especially Charlie. It seemed as though the entire Eppes Clan had decided to take him under its wing. Charlie often tutored him after class on different subjects not copied in class. Alan and Takato would talk about interesting information they found out and sometimes Takato would act as translator for Alan when Charlie spoke geek. Takato also meet Charlie's older brother Don, who worked for the FBI. Together they managed to get out of being dragged out golfing with Alan stopping Charlie from overexerting himself on a math problem.

_Yep things are going well. Homework beaten, Guilmon fed and classes taken._ Takato thought. _I still think Ruki thought I wasn't going to make it. Maybe she thought I'd come crying home after a week. But that smirk that I just know was there was hopefully wiped off since I've been here for over a month. And speaking of that, a month here and yet not a wild one in sight. I've gotten e-mails from Henry and Ryo saying the infinite amount of wild ones that have popped up around them in Japan. Even Yamaki-san said that there should be at least a couple bothering me. Hhmm… I wonder what's going on. _

Even though the amount of wild ones was relaxing, he was starting to get a little disconcerting. Guilmon was practically bouncing off the walls as he hadn't been able to get any extra energy out. America still wasn't as open with digimon as Japan was. Well, it had been Japan that had been saved from the D-Reaper by digimon so they probably felt more comfortable with them.

A beeping noise disrupted Takato's musing. Sighing Takato found that the source was his D-Arc, alerting him of a wild one bio-emerging. _See this is what happens when I open my big mouth, well okay when I think it. I have the worst luck ever._ Strapping his D-Arc to his belt along with his cards Takato called to Guilmon. "Hey boy, come on. We got a wild one to find."

The dino popped his head up from the couch where he had been sleeping. Dazed golden eyes stared up at Takato as he asked, "Takatomon after this can we have Guilmon bread? I'm hungry."

Takato laughed. Trust Guilmon to think of his stomach first. "Sure but first let's go get that digimon."

They followed the signal all the way towards the west end of town. Finally they spotted him. 'Him' was Devimon. The first major villain the Digidestined had faced in the Digimon Adventure Anime. Basically he looked almost like an overgrown bat, all covered in black and with scaly wings spreading out from his back except for the fact that he was humanoid. "Lets see. Devimon, Fallen Angel, virus, completely evil, and champion level to boot. Attacks are Death Claw, Razor Wing, Hell Contract's, and Dungeon Cure. Better kick this up a notch" Takato said as he swiped the card through the slot on his D-Arc.

"Digivolution activate."

Guilmon started changing and finally evolved to Growlmon, a huge red dragon with the hazard symbol on his shoulder.

"Let's do this Growlmon," Takato yelled out.

"Right. Pyro Blaster!" Growlmon unleashed a huge, glowing red ball of unknown substance at Devimon. It didn't have any effect what so ever.

"We'll try this again. Dragon Slash." Again nothing.

"Growlmon, looks like you could use some help. Digimodify! WereGarurumon's Wolf Claw activate!"

"Wolf Claw!" This time the attack had a palpable affect on Devimon but not as much as hoped. In fact all it seemed to do was infuriate him even more than already so.

"You fools, humans and your weak digimon," sneered Devimon.

_Jeez this guy has a major superiority complex, _Takato thought.

But Devimon wasn't done just yet. "You worthless worms. Weak filth, how you ever beat my cousin Ice Devimon I shall never understand. But he was weak as well. Disgracing himself by wanting to be the pitiful partner of the human called the Digimon Queen. Did you ever think your pitiful attacks could have any effects on me, the greatest digimon in the world!? When I wipe out you and the rest of you pathetic species and all your digi-pets I shall destroy this world, filled with nothing but the filth you humans have polluted it with! But first I shall deal with you two. Hmm, would it be more amusing to destroy you painfully now or just keep you as a pet so you may watch the destruction of your world?"

Takato growled noticeably, his eyes flashing. Silently he clenched his fists, drawing blood. Growlmon off to the side perceived his partner's anger and rage and snarled at Devimon.

"Attack full force Growlmon!" Takato yelled, finally fed up with Devimon's insults and threats. He grabbed his D-Arc and slashed a card through.

"Digimodify! Power Modify!"

Growlmon could feel all the strength he received from the card. It coursed through his body, dramatically increasing the power that was flowing to his attack.

"PYRO BLASTER!" Growlmon bellowed and let loose a furious assault of deep crimson spheres simultaneously.

The attack ripped through the air, crashing into Devimon and the area around him. Clouds of think black smoke drifted through the air after the impact on the ground. Takato felt for sure the attack had finally reached dead center yet when the smoke cleared Devimon still floated lazily a couple of feet over ground level. The ground itself looked like a war zone. Deep gouges littered the asphalt, cutting deep into the earth. In some parts the blacktop was totally decimated, not even to be found later. Yet Devimon himself didn't have even a scratch on him.

"Pathetic, this is your most powerful attack?" Devimon scoffed. "Well let me show you mine. DEATH CLAW!"

The attack was devastatingly accurate, diving toward Growlmon and hitting with such an overwhelming force that it made Growlmon dedigivolve to Gigimon and still sent Gigimon flying into Takato who caught him securely in his arms before he too was flung back. Takato was sent hurtling in the building 20 meters behind him. Nothing could have prepared him for impact. Knocking the wind out of him, the collision had at least cracked a rib or two, Takato was sure of that.

Eyes watering Takato looked over to where Devimon was. Only he wasn't there anymore. The devil digimon had suddenly appeared right in front of Takato.

"I believe I shall finish you off right now. It would be too much of a hassle to keep you as my pet, though you are quite cute as far as humans go," Devimon sneered. "Razor Wing!"

Holding down a wave of nausea at the last comment Devimon made Takato braced himself for pain. He hoped that Gigmon's data wouldn't be absorbed and that his parents and friends would be okay. He also hoped the turkey sandwich he had stashed way back in Alan's fridge would be found before it went moldy. _Funny the things you think of before you die_, Takato thought.

Abruptly a voice yelled, "Oh no I don't think so. Holy Staff!"

The attack from the unknown digimon blasted through Devimon's and went straight back to Devimon himself. Only thins attack didn't just scratch the surface like Growlmon's. It created mucho damage, way more that Takato ever thought possible with one attack. Only the digimon wasn't finished.

"Hand of Fate!"

Takato on the other hand felt the faint buzzings of his memory back from the days of the digimon anime series. _Wait the only digimon that I know has those attacks is…_

This final attack had somehow managed to totally deleted Devimon. When the smoke and data particles of Devimon evaporated into the atmosphere Takato finally saw his savior.

…_Angemon_

Yes, Angemon in all his shining glory was there. A figure suddenly came out of the shadows of the alleyway. He slowly started walking towards Takato. Angemon, once he saw this stranger slowly flew over to him and while in mid-flight he dedigivolved into Patamon. The Patamon settled himself onto the stranger's head, much like the T.V. Patamon did with Takeru. But what really made Takato's breath catch was when the figure stepped into the small circle of light made by the street lamp.

Charlie Eppes walked to Takato and stopped about a meter away. Slowly he smiled as he crouched down to eye level. "Look's like you could use some help."

Finish

* * *

Yes I know this is really bad, but as it is my second story and first that is actually finished I would appreciate it if there is no flames and constructive criticism is welcomed. But please YES I KNOW IT'S BAD AND IT DOESN'T EXPLAIN THE END BUT IF YOU REALLY WANT BE TO I CAN FOURM IT (even though I never go on fourms) AND EXPLAIN IT SO PLEASE DON'T YELL AT ME! Thank you. 


End file.
